


Dark Side

by BookofOdym



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Jealousy, M/M, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:47:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26634574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookofOdym/pseuds/BookofOdym
Summary: Singh and Hartley go undercover together.
Relationships: Hartley Rathaway/David Singh
Comments: 3
Kudos: 22
Collections: DCU Rarepair Exchange 2020





	Dark Side

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cherryontop](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherryontop/gifts).



Taking a civilian on an undercover mission was definitely... not something that was standard procedure; it was just that during this case, the civilian in question was a former supervillain, and the undercover mission was taking place in what could only be described as a bar for supervillains. Hartley Rathaway claimed that no one in the villain community knew that he had reformed, and David, for one, believed him. Ordinarily, he was very distrusting, but sometimes you could just see the desire to do good, to be better, in someone’s eyes. 

He’d also said that he could handle himself, but frankly, there was no way that anyone on the force was going to trust a former villain to infiltrate a ring of current villains, most... or at least some, of whom he had worked with in the past. So, a member of the force had been assigned to go with him, and David had drawn the short straw. That was what he told himself at least. Truth be told, he hadn’t wanted anyone else to take the role, having grown somewhat... protective of the younger man during the few other times that they had worked together. 

Still, the costume he’d been forced to wear as a “henchman” was starting to make him regret everything. If Hartley wanted to parade around in a green cloak that was on him, but David found the whole thing incredibly embarrassing. It wasn’t the kind of thing he’d ever want to be seen out in public in, and yet, out in public, they were. Outside the questionably named “Dark Side” bar, and boy was that a name that sounded destined to attract trouble. 

That was about the point that Hartley pinched his cheek, when he was musing about the terrible name of the place, and tugged on it lightly. “You look like you’re deep in thought.” 

David started, pushing the younger man’s arm down with what he was going to have to insist was not a yelp, but was instead an incredibly manly cry. He had not been startled, cops did not startle that easily, and if they did, that just proved that they weren’t fit for the job. “I was looking around for any sign of trouble. We might have to flee at any time.” 

“Liar, you were looking at the sign.” David refused to believe that he was so easy to read. Of course, if he wasn’t easy to read, that would just mean that Hartley had been watching him intently, and he wasn’t really sure about how he felt about that either. “So, hopefully, that’s just a Star Wars reference, because some of the people who come from space have told... stories about a person with that name, and none of them are particularly nice to listen to. A lot of disembowelment, people being burned alive, that kind of thing. 

Maybe that would have meant something to Singh, if he hadn’t gotten hung up on the fact that Hartley Rathaway had met aliens, that there weren’t just people with powers in this city, but actual, honest to god people from another planet were running around in the area, he was supposed to watch over, and, apparently, that some of them were criminals. 

“Should we get inside,” Hartley asked, “I’m starting to get cold, and, rather rudely, you haven’t even offered to give me your coat.” 

“But then I would be cold,” Singh responded blandly. 

Despite what he said, the warmth inside the building was somewhat of a relief when they finally entered, and Singh took the opportunity to take a look around while Hartley rubbed at his upper arms, trying to warm himself up. The building wasn’t exactly packed with people, having about fifteen or twenty people in costumes of varying levels of ridiculousness (although they were all in some way ridiculous, make no mistake). 

Singh nudged his companion, indicating a man sitting in the corner. “Who’s the guy in the bug costume?” 

Hartley took a quick glance in the man’s direction. “Bug-Eyed Bandit,” and wasn’t that about the worst code name that Singh had ever heard, “he fought the Atom a few times. Guess he got his memories back again. The guys at the bar are the Injustice League, not to be confused with the Injustice Society. If you find out where they’re planning to hit, you should send a few ambulances out. They’ll probably hurt themselves.” 

So, despite the intel that this place housed some pretty major criminals, it seemed like most of the people there at the moment where kind of... jokes. No one who was likely to be plotting the serious attack that they had received reports about. “In your expert opinion, is there anyone in here today who could pull off something major?” 

That got a few people to turn their heads in a way that hadn’t happened when Hartley had made the comment about the ambulance. Either people here trusted him that much, or the people he was talking about were just that incompetent. 

“Planning a new job,” Hartley informed them smoothly, surveying a few of the people on the other side of the room with interest, “oh,” he said finally, “that guy, he was... my ex.” 

For whatever reason, when he said that, Singh suddenly didn’t want to let Hartley go over and talk to him, of course, chances were, that was their guy, but... “I’ll head over myself; you stay here, don’t talk to anyone, and don’t let anyone buy you a drink.” 

But Hartley just scoffed in response. “I’m supposed to be the boss here, you’re supposed to be the henchman, what do you think’s going to happen if you start undermining my authority?” 

It was true, and Singh let him walk ahead with a sigh. He was the one out of his element here, and if he was going to find anything out at all, he was going to have to follow the younger man’s lead. 

Everything would have gone fine if Hartley’s ex had just known how to keep his hands to himself and not flirt with someone who had already broken up with him. David spent the entire conversation stewing in rage at the way the man’s hands wandered up Hartley’s hand, brushed up against his fingers. It was far too familiar. 

Without thinking, David wrapped his arm around the ex-villain, pulling him close, and glaring at the man until he dropped Hartley’s hand. It might have made things more difficult, but it sure made him feel better. 

* * *

Of course, feeling better lasted for about half an hour, until he and Hartley were alone together, and Hartley forcibly removed his arm from around his waist, stalking away from him. 

Apparently, he was upset about something, but they needed to compare notes, so Singh wasn’t about to just let him leave. Singh jogged after him, and it didn’t take long for him to catch up. 

“Can I have-” Hartley snapped, then closed his eyes, taking a few breaths, “can I have five minutes please?” 

No, he couldn’t. Five minutes was far too long. Did he expect David to just stand around that long, or however long it took him to calm down? “You’re upset about something.” 

“Are these the deductive skills that served you so well as a detective?” 

Yeah. He was definitely upset about something. 

“Did... you like your ex flirting with you?” Singh... didn’t particularly want that to be the case, but he couldn’t really see any other option. 

Unfortunately, the other man only scoffed in response, leaving him even more confused than before. “Please, he was a jerk, my problem is-” 

Hartley continually cutting himself off wasn’t helping the situation either, but thankfully he managed to pull himself together long enough to get out a semi-logical explanation. “My problem is with you pretending to be involved with me when you really don’t have feelings for me at all.” 

“Oh,” Singh thought for a moment, “well, would it be alright with you if I did?” 

“No! I just said it wasn’t!” 

“Have feelings for you, I mean.” 

That shocked him into silence, thankfully, and Singh took the opportunity to press a soft kiss against his forehead. 

A moment later, Hartley dragged him down into a proper one.


End file.
